Mini Dessert Recipes

Cherry Cheesecake Mini Dessert

• 2/3 cup  graham crackers
• 1/3 cup finely chopped almonds
• 3 Tblsp. butter
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 can cherry pie filling
• 1 – 8-ounce block of cream cheese
• 1 package instant vanilla pudding
• 1 cup milk
•  8-ounce tub of Cool Whip

Combine the graham crackers, chopped almonds, melted butter, and sugar in a bowl.  Divide the mixture into each of the twelve mini dessert dishes or shot glasses.  Press the mixture down firmly on the bottom of each little dish.

*I didn’t use all of the crust mixture.  You don’t want too much crust!  There was enough crust mixture and filling to make a couple of extras for my taste testers!

Place about a tablespoon of pie filling on top of the cracker layer in the bottom of the dish.

Place the softened cream cheese in the bottom of a large mixing bowl with a small amount of milk.  Mix well and continue adding milk until the mixture is combined.  Stir in the pudding and mix well.  Gently stir in half, (4 ounces), of the Cool Whip.

Fill each of the dessert dishes with the cream cheese mixture.  Top each little dessert with some of the remaining pie filling.

      Mini Vanilla Bean Cheesecakes

   Topped With Chocolate Ganache

       And Fresh Red Raspberries

                                                                                Preheat oven to 350°

Crust:

• 1 cup vanilla wafer crumbs
• 2 Tblsp. sugar
• 1 pinch of salt
• 2 Tblsp. unsalted butter, melted

   Lightly coat the tins with non-stick cooking spray.  

   Mix the vanilla wafer crumbs, the sugar, and the salt together well.  Add the melted butter.

   Put 2 heaping teaspoons of the mixture into each of the little tins.   Press down firmly with a wooden mini tart shaper, (mine is from Pampered Chef), or a shot glass works well, too.  (We are an Amazon affiliate and may receive a small percentage of any sales from this link.  Thanks for supporting this website.)

 Bake the little crusts for about 10 minutes in the 350° oven.  Remove and cool on a baking rack while you prepare the cheesecake.

Turn the oven down to 300°.

 Tip*** Forgot to set the block of cream cheese out to soften?  Don’t worry!   To soften the cream cheese, completely unwrap the package of cream cheese and place it in a glass bowl.  Microwave on high for 10 seconds just until softened.

 Cheesecake filling:

• 2 (8-ounce) blocks of softened Cream Cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup of heavy cream
• Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean (or 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract if you don’t have a vanilla bean.)

   In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth and creamy.  Add the sugar, and the salt, and completely mix.

   Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each.  Mix in the heavy cream and the seeds from the vanilla bean.

    Pour the batter on top of the crusts and fill to the top.  (I was afraid the filling would spill over the top, but it did not.  They looked perfect!  There is a little excess batter.)

Bake for 20 minutes in the 300° oven.

Remove from the oven and cool on a wire baking rack.

Remove each from the pan and place on a covered platter or dish.  Chill for two hours.

Ganache:

• 1/2 cup of heavy cream
• 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Melt the chocolate and the heavy cream in a saucepan over low heat. Stir until smooth with no lumps.  Pour into a glass bowl and let cool a little.

Stir and spoon on top of the little cheesecakes or using a pastry bag and a medium round tip, pipe a large chocolate dot.  (I piped the ganache onto the tops of the ones I made.  It was easier to control.)

Garnish with red raspberries.

1- 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
3/8 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 cup softened, unsalted butter
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
5/8 cup pure maple syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350°

   In a medium-sized bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ginger.  Using a wire whisk, combine the ingredients and set it to the side.

   In a medium bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the egg and mix well.  Pour in the syrup and vanilla and mix well.

   Add about 1/2 of the flour mixture, and 1/2 of the buttermilk.  Repeat, making sure the ingredients are all combined.

    With a spoon, stir in the chopped pecans.

   Fill the mini muffin cups about 3/4 full.  Bake for about 15 minutes at 350°.

   Cool completely on a baking rack and frost with Maple Butter Frosting.  Makes about 15 of the 2″ mini muffins.

Maple Butter Frosting

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) of softened unsalted butter
  1-1/2 ounces of cream cheese
  1/3 cup brown sugar
  1/8 tsp salt
  3 Tblsp. maple syrup
  3/8 tsp. vanilla extract
  1/2 cup powdered sugar

   Combine the butter, cream cheese, brown sugar, and salt in a medium-sized bowl.  

Beat until light and fluffy.

   Add the syrup and vanilla and continue beating.

   Add the powdered sugar slowly.  

Then continue beating with the mixer on high until the icing is light and fluffy.

   Frost the cupcakes.  Garnish with crispy fried bacon pieces.

   To pin this, click here► Mini Maple Pancake Cupcakes with

 Maple Butter Frosting Garnished with Bacon Pieces

       Preheat oven to 350°
Crust:

1-1/2 cups finely crushed Oreo sandwich cookie crumbs ( 15 cookies)
1 smidgen of salt
3 Tblsp. unsalted butter, melted

Lightly coat the tins with non-stick cooking spray.  (This will make 18 of the mini cheesecakes in this type of cheesecake pan.)  Mix the cookie crumbs, and the salt together well.  Add the melted butter.  Put a heaping teaspoon of the mixture into each of the little tins.   Press down firmly with a wooden mini tart shaper, (mine is from Pampered Chef), or a shot glass works well, too.  (We are an Amazon affiliate and may receive a small percentage of any sales through this link.  Thanks for supporting this website.)

Bake the little crusts for about 10 minutes in the 350° oven.  Remove and cool on a baking rack while you prepare the cheesecake.  (You might want to put a sheet pan under the cheesecake pan in the oven.  Butter melted down onto the oven floor and it was a bit smoky in the kitchen!)

Turn the oven down to 300°.

Cheesecake:

2 – 8-ounce blocks of softened Cream Cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1 pinch of salt
2 eggs
1/4 cup of heavy cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, tossed with 1/2 tsp. flour

In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth and creamy.  Add the sugar and the salt.  Mix well.

Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each.  Mix in the heavy cream and the vanilla.  With a spoon, stir in the mini chocolate chips that have been tossed with the flour.

Pour the batter on top of the crusts and fill almost to the top.  

Sprinkle the tops with 1/2 cup of additional mini chocolate chips.

Bake for 20 minutes in the 300° oven.

Remove from the oven and cool on a wire baking rack.

Remove each mini cheesecake from the pan and place it on a covered platter or dish.  Chill for two hours.